Skincare designed for sensitive skin. It doesn’t cause a skin reaction but it sometimes doesn’t give your skin benefits either. Acids are the most misunderstood ingredient in sensitive skin care. Horror stories of chemical burns are common place. Sensitive skin beware.
Stuck in limbo, wanting more? By the end of this article you’re going to have a new approach to sensitive skin care.
What Is A Skincare Acid?
Acids sound scary. Truth is some acids aren’t ‘acidic’ at all. Case and point hyaluronic acid. Acidity is a sliding scale. Some skincare serums are highly acidic. Others are less acidic than the natural pH level of skin.
Fact – healthy skin is mildly acidic.
Skin has to be this way. Mildly acidic skin is hydrated, comfortable feeling and protected against infection.
As skin pH rises and becomes more alkaline, skin becomes dehydrated, dry, flaky, tight feeling and prone to infection and spots.
Therefore skincare which helps maintain a mild acidity in skin can actually be helpful. Even protective.
Can Sensitive Skin Use Acids?
The sting test is a dermatological challenge for soothing skincare actives. A new active gets applied to skin followed by an acid – usually lactic acid. If stinging sensations reduce, the active is working.
Acidity stings. Most skincare acids need to be in acidic formulas much lower than ideal skin pH. However some acids have a pH level similar to ideal skin pH. Most sensitive skin types can use these acids without side effects.
Which Acid Is Best For Sensitive Skin?
There’s one stand out. A lesser known about skincare acid called azelaic acid. Naturally occurring, azelaic acid is safe for most sensitive skin types and can also reduce common sensitive skin symptoms.
For example, azelaic acid is used to ease symptoms of a skin condition called rosacea. An inflammatory skin condition causing persistent redness, broken capillaries and burning sensations. Applying azelaic acid to skin helps reduce inflammation and redness making it the perfect treatment for rosacea. In fact, azelaic acid is available in prescription and over the counter strengths for rosacea management.
Inflammation and redness are symptoms all sensitive skin types experience. It’s not just rosacea prone skin which can enjoy azelaic acid benefits.
Can You Use Azelaic Acid Everyday?
Yes and no. For sensitive skin the answer depends on concentration. Highly concentrated serums are a no-go. Moderately concentrated azelaic acid formulas designed for sensitive skin types may be safe to use everyday.
Pro-tip – sensitive skin types must introduce new actives slowly using every other night or a few days per week application. With time frequency can be increased.
Azelaic Acid Benefits For Sensitive Skin
What does azelaic acid do to your skin? As a sensitive skin friendly acid, azelaic acid has overlapping benefits with the likes of glycolic acid and salicylic acid. As a mild exfoliating active, azelaic acid speeds skin’s natural turnover rate (exfoliating rate) to help prevent breakouts, fine lines and uneven skin tone while improving brightness, glow and skin texture.
Azelaic acid also has benefits specific to sensitive skin types. As an anti-inflammatory and anti-redness active. Helping to soothe skin while also evening blotchy, redness prone skin tones.
Ready for a new approach to sensitive skincare? Try out our azelaic acid containing Centella Asiatica Face Mask especially designed for soothing sensitive skin types.
